Edmund Malesky leads research methodology for Provincial Competitiveness Index, Provincial Green Index

Edmund Malesky, director of the Duke Center for International Development (DCID) and professor of political economy, helped launch the 2023 Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) and Provincial Green Index (PGI) report in a May 9 event held in Vietnam.

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Conducted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the report aims to promote a business-enabling and environmentally friendly investment climate in Vietnam.

With support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the PCI and PGI report is based on responses from more than 10,000 firms, including domestic businesses and foreign-invested enterprises operating in Vietnam. Malesky led the development of the research methodology and authored the presentation of its analytical findings.

In his presentation on the PGI, Malesky shared that provinces are facing many challenges in implementing local environmental initiatives due, in part, to a lack of resources and expertise. He recommended the central government and international organizations provide financial and technical support to provincial governments during the green transition process to overcome resource limitations.

He also shared the need to provide more guidance on the implementation of legal documents on environmental standards, as well as a need for businesses to be motivated by customers to change their production and business models.

“The 2023 PCI and PGI report is expected to provide state agencies at all levels with policy indications that are crucial to their policy formulation and managerial functions,” Pham Tan Cong, chairman and president of the VCCI, wrote in the report’s foreword. “Moreover, the report is envisaged to be an impetus for the local transition towards sustainable growth while offering a reference to investors who contemplate engagements in environmentally sustainable projects, as well as to interested parties.”

Access the PCI and PGI 2023 report.

Edmund Malesky is a specialist on Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam. His research lies at the intersection of comparative and international political economy, falling into three major categories: 1) Authoritarian political institutions and their consequences; 2) The political influence of foreign direct investment and multinational corporations; and 3) Political institutions, private business development, and formalization. He has served on the PCI research team since its inception 19 years ago.